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Sunday, June 17, 2012

West Coast Macaroni and Cheese with Meatballs.

A smooth and surprising macaroni and cheese recipe with
savory Mexican meatballs that will make you say 'Ole! Give me more!'

Ingredients:

·1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni

·3/4 pound lean ground beef

·2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper

·2 teaspoons olive oil

·2 teaspoons butter

·1/4 cup cream

·1 cup sour cream

·4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

·2 cups cottage cheese

·1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

·2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

·salt and white pepper to taste

·1 cup canned diced green chiles

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a large pot of
lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or
until al dente; drain.

2. In a large bowl, mix ground beef with onion, garlic and chopped
jalapeno pepper. Roll into small, 1 inch meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large
skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs, and cook until browned on all
sides, then remove to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. The meatballs do not
need to be thoroughly cooked at this point as they will finish cooking in the
oven.

3. While the meatballs are cooking, melt the butter in a
large saucepan over medium heat. Gently cook the butter until it begins to
brown, and acquires a nutty fragrance, about 1 minute. Stir in the cream, sour
cream, Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, garlic, and cilantro. Bring to a simmer,
stirring constantly until the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and
white pepper.

4. Stir the cooked macaroni and diced chiles into the cheese
sauce, and pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Slice the meatballs in half, and
place onto the pasta cut-side down.

5. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese sauce is bubbly,
and the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes.